Seasonal Element to Powder Shortage?

[chiltech500]

Yes I read the other thread. Conspiracy theories aside is there a seasonal shortage over the winter, folks doing reloading for summer?

Online suppliers were not this short for pistol powders late last fall. Our local shop had a lot of pistol powders early winter and he is down to nothing. He doesn't do online trade only local. He had WXST, WSF, 231 etc. in jugs prior to January.

I personally have 8 lbs of powder for 9mm and 45acp... but this current situation has me wondering about the near future.

Any validity to the seasonal theory?

 

[SFreed]

I hope you're right. I am finding myself running short, and it's not a good feeling. I've been doing the powder run of local retailers for the last few weeks with no luck. Watching gunbot.net and email alerts from several online vendors with no luck yet.

 

[KansasSasquatch]

Somewhat. Hodgdon shuts down for 2-3 weeks around Christmas. Then there was SHOT Show which kinda slows them down too. And then there's the people that spend all winter reloading just for spring-summer matches. I imagine the other powder companies have slowdowns similar to Hodgdon.

 

[gamestalker]

Well, prior to this whole political season, for lack of a better description, powders used to show some degree of spotty availability during hunting season, but that's for bottle neck hunting types. But our current situation, though still driven by a seasonal demand, has only made an already short supply issue even worse.

GS

 

[chiltech500]

Folks on another site have me convinced it's the extra demand placed by so many new reloaders on an already strained supply chain. Someone spoke with the folks at Dillon and the new demand is unbelievable.

 

[dragon813gt]

All the shortages are caused by supply and demand. No need to look any deeper into it. The demand has outstripped the supply. When the demand diminishes the supply will catch up.

Powder has been available in my area since the new year. You can get almost any that you want when you want it. It may take a few weeks to get a particular powder but you can still get it.

 

[JRWhit]

It is not uncommon for manufacturers to slow and stop production for a period of time around the new year. Mainly for inventory and what not. I too have noticed that even the odd ball rifle powders that never sell are gone from the shelves.

 

[JWH321]

Could I get'em to bottle up just a couple of bottles of Titegroup? Shouldn't take too long, all I want is a couple.

 

[bluetopper]

Yes, it's a seasonal thing, but the season has now lasted a couple of years.

 

[spitballer]

Apparently demand for reloading supplies varies considerably by region. Nobody in my area seems to care much about reloading, according to a local gun shop owner who has pretty much gotten out of reloading supplies. This just seems nuts to me. I wouldn't want a gun that I couldn't load for, unless I was a law enforcement professional who needed factory ammo for for insurance reasons or something.

My last two powder runs have taken me 300+ miles round trip! Fortunately I only have to do this once or twice a year. Primers don't seem to be as much of a problem, for some reason. I can get primers here locally.